Sunday, March 08, 2009

Sudan's al-Bashir To Visit Darfur / Sudanese President Bashir Arrives In North Darfur

(NSI News Source Info) Khartoum - March 9, 2009: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Sunday will attend a rally in Darfur, the western Sudanese region where he stands accused of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (2nd, L) inspects troops upon his arrival at Fashir, capital city of North Darfur state, March 8, 2009. Bashir said Sunday in Fashir, capital city of North Darfur state, that the country will fight against "neocolonialism".

The Sudanese Ministry of Information said al-Bashir will attend a rally in al-Fashir, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur province and the site of sprawling camps where tens of thousands of people displaced by fighting in the area have gathered for aid hand-outs.
The planned visit is a further sign of al-Bashir's defiance in the face of a warrant for his arrest issued by the International Criminal Court last week.
The Sudanese president appeared at a rally on Saturday brandishing a traditional Sudanese spear and defended his decision to expel 13 international aid organisations on the grounds that they were "spies" and "thieves."
"If people want to fight us... they should come here and fight us face to face," al-Bashir said.
He said he would not let the arrest warrant "sabotage peace" between northern Sudan and the south.
"Nobody will die in the south. We will not fight each other," he told supporters gathered for a fourth day of mass demonstrations in his support.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussam, visiting al-Bashir at his presidential palace in Khartoum on Saturday, pledged the Arab League's support for the Sudanese president.
"The Arab League will continue to try to defuse the crisis," Moussa said, adding that the 22-member body would send a delegation to lobby members of the UN Security Council to suspend the warrant.

(NSI News Source Info) BAGHDAD - March 9, 2009: The U.S. military said Sunday that 12,000 of its troops stationed in Iraq will pull out from Iraq by September end this year.
The pullout of the combat troops comes as the U.S. military is turning over more facilities to the Iraqi troops, Maj. Gen. David Perkins, a U.S. military spokesman said during a joint news conference with Ali al-Dabbagh, the spokesman of the Iraqi government. A US soldier patrols the Shulla district of Baghdad on March 2. The Iraqi government has said the United States will withdraw 12,000 troops by the end of September.
Perkins said that the U.S. combat power will be reduced from 14 brigades to 12 brigades.
On Friday, U.S. President Barrack Obama announced a plan to withdraw most troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, leaving about 35,000 to 50,000 of the current total of around 140,000 troops behind.
For his part, Dabbagh confirmed that the U.S. military and the Iraqi government have agreed the cut of 12,000 U.S. troops in the next six months.
Meanwhile, "4,000 British troops will withdraw in July 2009, according to an agreement signed previously between Iraq and United Kingdom," he added.
In December, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that his country would pull out its 4,000 troops by the end of July.
On Jan. 1, the British military handed over control of Basra airport to Iraqis and since then, the British troops are training the Iraqi Army in the city.

(NSI News Source Info) Seoul - March 9, 2009: South Korea and the United States will begin 12 days of joint military exercises this week, despite opposition from North Korea, officials said.
Yonhap reported Sunday that Pyongyang has called on Seoul and Washington to jettison their Key Resolve and Foal Eagle drills, scheduled to begin Monday for 12 days. US M1A1 Abrams tanks are driven onto a train during the Army Preposition Stocks operation drill at Camp Carroll in Chilgok, about 290 kms (180 miles) southeast of Seoul on March 5, 2009. North Korea has ordered its military to be combat ready, state media said early Monday, ahead of joint US-South Korean manoeuvres that Pyongyang has called as a prelude to war.
The news service said the Key Resolve exercise is simulation-driven, defense-oriented training to help troops prepare to receive forces from bases outside the country in case of an emergency on the Korean peninsula.
The U.S. military also will mobilize the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and a few Aegis destroyers for the exercises.
The drills are aimed at improving the capability of the combined forces to defend South Korea from outside attack, said an official at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command in Seoul.

Nigeria: Due To Rapid Corruption, Crude Oil Is An Instrument For Kidnapping And Ransom, Gang Wars, Killings, Sectarian Violence, Gun Running And Other Evils

(NSI News Source Info) March 8, 2009: The war between tribal rebels and the military in the Niger delta oil region, is going against the rebels. The military, police and private security have been sufficient to repel rebel attacks on oil facilities. The rebels and oil thieves have not been happy with this new efficiency by the security forces. In retaliation, the oil stealing gangs are blowing up pipelines, just to interrupt oil shipments.
The government sent more police and soldiers to Bauchi, to take over from local police, who tend to be partisan (side with the Moslem rioters). A curfew was imposed and peace restored. This is the usual drill, and the violence will occur again in the future.
Piracy is a growing problem. In 2006, there were nine attacks on ships for the entire year. But there have been more than nine ships attacked so far this year. Large fishing boats, coastal freighters and oil company boats are all targets. The oil company boats tend to have armed guards, but the others do not. In the pirates just robbed the crew and carried off any portable gear. Now they are holding ships for ransom. The navy has been tied up dealing with tribal rebels in the Niger delta, and protecting oil facilities. This gives the pirates a free ride along the rest of the coast.
March 4, 2009: Another ex-state governor has been arrested for corruption (stealing $171 million in state funds). In fact, the government is just going through the motions with its anti-corruption campaign. The dozens of arrested officials end up being fined a small percentage of what they stole, and set free to enjoy their plundered millions.
February 27, 2009: The army has found and destroyed another rebel camp hidden in the tangle of waterways that make up the Niger river delta. The military has become more active and aggressive in patrolling the many waterways in the delta, making it more difficult for the rebels to launch attacks, and move stolen (from ruptured pipelines) oil.
February 21, 2009: In the northern city of Bauchi. Moslems and Christians attacked each other, burning down three mosques, 14 churches and several hundred homes and businesses. At least 15 people were killed and over a hundred wounded. Nearly 5,000 were forced to flee their homes. The violence is basically caused by politicians and tribal leaders using religious differences to increase their power. Fearful people are more prone to strongly support their political leaders. Another reason for the violence is the attempt by Moslems to impose religious (Sharia) law in the north. Sharia is seen as an antidote for the endemic corruption (it isn't), and Moslems try to impose many Sharia rules on Christians.
In the south, well armed (from stealing oil) gangs went to war over sports. Fans of different football (soccer) teams used firearms against each other, leaving at least 13 dead and dozens wounded.

British Commonwealth Nations Provide Bulk Of The UN's Peacekeeping Forces

(NSI News Source Info) March 8, 2009: The UN's peacekeeping army of 112,000 troops, would be much less effective, were not for the British Empire. About a third of those peacekeepers come from nations that were formerly part of the British Empire (mostly from what used to be British India; India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal.) To maintain and protect is empire, the British recruited lots of local troops, and trained them as they would British soldiers. While most of the officers were British, most of the NCOs were locals.

The Indian Army's participation in the UN peacekeeping operations spans a period of 57 years covering 43 UN Missions, in which over ninety thousand Indian soldiers have served in various parts of the world. In support of UN peacekeeping endeavors, the Indian Army has contributed outstanding force commanders, elite military contingents, impartial observers and dedicated staff officers. Their devotion to duty and excellent performance has been widely acclaimed.

Before the British relinquished its colonies after World War II, it also trained many locals as officers. Much of this Western training and military traditions took hold, especially in South Asia. The British encountered some formidable local armies when they moved into India three centuries ago. But the British had better technology and more advanced military doctrine. The Indians noted this, and some of the local rulers quickly, but not quickly enough, adopted the superior British practices.

When the British left, the South Asian armies remained very British in the way they trained and operated. That meant well trained and well led troops, but without all the gadgets that Western nations lavish on their soldiers. For peacekeeping, the disciplined and reliable South Asian soldiers are excellent peacekeepers.

Those from other less affluent nations often lack the discipline and good leadership, and account for most of the peacekeeping scandals.
Meanwhile, corruption, casualties and lack of success are discouraging countries from contributing their troops for peacekeeping. The corruption angle is interesting, as it pertains both to the corruption within the UN bureaucracy, and the corrupt atmosphere the peacekeepers operate in, and often succumb to. Casualties are expected, but the contributing countries feel a lot of their troop losses are the result of restrictive UN rules that limit what peacekeepers can do. This, in turn, is believed most responsible for a lack of success for the peacekeeping missions.
India, Bangladesh and Pakistan (who contribute nearly a quarter of the UN force) are not happy with the lack of volunteers from other major nations. The chief reasons for that are the same ones annoying the current peacekeepers (corruption and restrictive rules of engagement). In addition, the major military powers (with the exception of China and Russia) feel they already contribute quite a lot in the form of money to pay the peacekeepers. And the contributors are also upset at the lack of results.
The UN will spend about $8 billion on fifteen peacekeeping operations this year. This pays for a force of over 112,000 troops and support staff. It's actually a pretty cheap way of keeping some conflicts under control. The causes of the unrest may not be resolved by peacekeepers, but at least the problem is contained and doesn't bother the rest of the world too much.

This is an increasingly unpopular approach to peacekeeping, except in the UN bureaucracy. Many UN members would rather send peacekeepers to where they are not wanted (by the government, usually a bad one, that is often the cause of the trouble in the first place.)
Most of the money is going to a few large peacekeeping operations. Three of the largest (Congo, Darfur and south Sudan) get over half the cash. Africa has the largest number of "failed states" on the planet and, as such, is most in need of outside security assistance. The Middle East is also a source of much unrest. But there the problem isn't a lack of government, just bad government. Most Middle Eastern nations are run by tyrants, who have created police states that at least keep anarchy at bay.

Can Pakistani Government Administrative Law & Order In Swat Valley Effectively

(NSI News Source Info) March 8, 2009: Pakistani army troops stand guard as supporters of pro-Taliban cleric Sufi Muhammad, remove a blocks to reopen a road, which was closed by militants, Sunday, March 8, 2009 in outskirt of Mingora, capital of the troubled Swat Valley, in Pakistan. Taliban militants in Pakistan's Swat Valley have extended a cease-fire, strengthening a peace process that Western governments say risks granting a safe haven to extremists close to the Afghan border.

(NSI News Source Info) March 8, 2009: A security guard awaits the arrival of Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward and Criminal Justice Minister Paul Goggins at the Massereene Army base on March 8, 2009 after two military personnel were shot dead on March 7 during a gun attack at the barracks northwest of Belfast as pizzas were delivered to the Royal Engineers base. Three men are in a serious condition in hospital, while one is in a critical condition. Two of the four are soldiers, while the other two are pizza delivery men.

The two soldiers killed were in their early twenties and were about to deploy to Afghanistan. "The people who did this will be pursued and they can be assured that they will never be able stop political progress in Northern Ireland," Woodward said.

(NSI News Source Info) March 8, 2009: US president Barack Obama has admitted the US is not winning its war in Afghanistan.
Asked in an interview with The New York Times if the US was winning in Afghanistan, the Mr Obama said: “No” while adding: “Our troops are doing an extraordinary job in a very difficult situation.
“But you’ve seen conditions deteriorate over the last couple of years. The Taliban is bolder than it was. I think ... in the southern regions of the country, you’re seeing them attack in ways that we have not seen previously.”

Artillerymen prepare to fire a 155mm Howlitzer at a Taliban position October 22, 2008 from Camp Blessing in the Kunar Province of eastern Afghanistan. Their unit, Charlie Battery, 3rd Battalion of the 321 Field Artillery, has fired more than 5,900 shells since they deployed to Afghanistan less than a year ago, making it the busiest artillery unit in the U.S. Army, according to to military officers. They most often fire in support of Army infantry units fighting Taliban insurgents in the nearby Korengal Valley, the site of some of the heaviest fighting in Afghanistan.
In the interview, posted on the paper’s website yesterday, Mr Obama said: “The national government still has not gained the confidence of the Afghan people.
“And so it’s going to be critical for us to not only, get through these national elections to stabilise the security situation, but we’ve got to recast our policy so that our military, diplomatic and development goals are all aligned to ensure that al-Qaeda and extremists that would do us harm don’t have the kinds of safe havens that allow them to operate.”
Mr Obama said there may be opportunities to reach out to moderates in the Taliban, but the situation in Afghanistan was more complicated than the challenges the American military faced in Iraq.
US troops were able to persuade Sunni Muslim insurgents in Iraq to co-operate in some instances because they had been alienated by the tactics of al-Qaeda terrorists.
But Mr Obama warned that Afghanistan was a less-governed region with a history of fierce independence among tribes, creating a tough set of circumstances for the US to deal with.
The idea of co-operation with some in the Taliban has been talked about for many months by American military commanders including General David Petraeus, head of US Central Command.
“If you talk to General Petraeus, I think he would argue that part of the success in Iraq involved reaching out to people that we would consider to be Islamic fundamentalists, but who were willing to work with us,” said Mr Obama.
“There may be some comparable opportunities in Afghanistan and the Pakistani region, but the situation in Afghanistan is, if anything, more complex.”
Last month, defence secretary Robert Gates said Washington could accept a political agreement between the Afghan government and the Taliban if the insurgents would lay down their arms and accept the government’s terms.
At the same time, Mr Obama left open the possibility that US operatives might capture terror suspects abroad without the co-operation of a country where they were found.
“There could be situations — and I emphasise ‘could be’ because we haven’t made a determination yet — where, let’s say that we have a well-known al-Qaeda operative that doesn’t surface very often, appears in a third country with whom we don’t have an extradition relationship or would not be willing to prosecute, but we think is a very dangerous person,” he said.
Mr Obama added that the US did not torture its suspects and noted in some cases that those being held would have an opportunity to challenge their detention in US courts.

(NSI News Source Info) March 8, 2009: As the U.S. economy sank ever lower, a huge brouhaha erupted this week over claims that Iran might have nuclear weapons.
The new CIA director, Leon Panetta, said "there is no question, they (Iran) are seeking that capability." The Pentagon chief, Admiral Mike Mullen, claimed Iran had "enough fissile material to build a bomb."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper had claimed Iran posed an "absolutely unacceptable threat." However, to Harper's credit, he just admitted that Afghanistan is a no-win war.
While Rome burns, here we go again with renewed hysteria over MWMD's -- Muslim weapons of mass destruction. War drums are again beating over Iran.
The czar of all 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, Admiral Dennis Blair, stated Iran could have enough enriched uranium for one atomic weapon by 2010-15. But he reaffirmed the 2007 U.S. National Intelligence Estimate that Iran does not have nuclear weapons and is not pursuing them. Defence Secretary William Gates backed up Blair.
Public confusion over Iran comes from misunderstanding nuclear enrichment and lurid scare stories.
Iran is producing low-grade uranium-235 (LEU U-235), enriched to only 2.5%, to generate electricity. Tehran has this absolute right under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Its centrifuge enrichment process at Nantaz is under 24-hour international inspection. Iran's soon-to-open nuclear plant at Bushehr cannot produce nuclear weapons fuel.
Today, some 15 nations produce LEU U-235, including Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, and Japan. Israel, India and Pakistan, all nuclear weapons powers, refused to sign the non-proliferation treaty. North Korea abrogated it.
UN inspectors report Iran has produced 1,010 kg of 2% to 3% enriched uranium for energy generation. Theoretically that is enough for one atomic bomb.
Costly process
But to make a nuclear weapon, U-235 must be enriched to over 90% in an elaborate, costly process. Iran is not doing so, say UN inspectors.
Highly enriched U-235 or plutonium must then be milled and shaped into a perfect ball or cylinder. Any surface imperfections will prevent achieving critical mass. Next, high explosive lenses must surround the core and detonate at precisely the same millisecond. In some cases, a stream of neutrons must be pumped into the device as it explodes.
This process is highly complex. Nuclear weapons cannot be deemed reliable unless they are tested. North Korea recently detonated a device that fizzled. Iran has never built or tested a nuclear weapon. Experts believe Israel and South Africa jointly tested a nuclear weapon in 1979.
Even if Iran had the capability to fashion a complex nuclear weapon, it would be useless without delivery. Iran's sole medium-range delivery system is its unreliable, inaccurate, 1,500-km ranged Shahab-3. Miniaturizing and hardening nuclear warheads capable of flying atop a Shahab missile is another complex technological challenge.
It is inconceivable that Iran or anyone else would launch a single nuclear weapon. What if it didn't go off? Imagine the embarrassment and the retaliation. Iran would need at least 10 warheads and a reliable delivery system to be a credible nuclear power.
Israel, the primary target for any Iranian nuclear strike, has an indestructible triad of air, missile and sea-launched nuclear weapons. An Israeli submarine with nuclear cruise missiles is on station off Iran's coast.
Off the map
Iran would be wiped off the map by even a few of Israel's 200 nuclear weapons. Iran is no likelier to use a nuke against its Gulf neighbours. The explosion would blanket Iran with radioactive dust and sand.
Much of the uproar over Iran's so far nonexistent nuclear weapons must be seen as part of efforts by Israel's American partisans to thwart President Barack Obama's proposed opening to Tehran, and to keep pushing the U.S. to attack Iran's nuclear infrastructure. They and many Israeli experts insist Iran has secret weapons programs that threaten Israel's existence.
The hawkish Hillary Clinton's naming of veteran Israel supporter Dennis Ross as her new legate to Iran adds to the confusion over administration policy towards Iran. Who is in charge of foreign policy? What's the plan?

(NSI News Source Info) March 8, 2009: The current Land 106 project will upgrade 431 M113 vehicles to improve armour protection, mobility, firepower and habitability. The Australian Government provided second pass approval for the project in June 2002 to upgrade 350 vehicles, and a contract was signed with Tenix Defence (now BAE Systems Australia Defence Pty Ltd (BAESAD) on 15 July 2002.

The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that formed the backbone of the US Army's mobile infantry units from the time of its introduction in the 1960s. It was partly replaced by the M2 Bradley which was one of many later vehicles designed from the outset to be more heavily armed and protected infantry fighting vehicle. Though it was never designed to serve as a light tank, the M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the US Army in the Vietnam War, earning the nickname 'Green Dragon' among the Viet Cong,as well as APC and ACAV (armored cavalry assault vehicle) by the allied forces, as it was used to break through heavy thickets in the midst of the jungle to attack and overrun enemy positions.

The M113 introduced new aluminum armor that made the vehicle much lighter and stiffer than earlier vehicles. This protected the crew and passengers against much of the small arms fire available to enemy infantry. Yet compared to heavier tanks, it had excellent cross-country performance and amphibious capabilities, while remaining airmobile. Its versatility led to it spawning a wide variety of adaptations that live on even in US service, representing about half of US Army armored vehicles today. To date, over *80,000 M113s of all types have been produced and used by over 50 countries worldwide, making it one of the most widely used armored fighting vehicles of all time. The Military Channel's "Top Ten" series named the M113 the most significant infantry fighting vehicle in history.
The Government approved the upgrade of a further 81 vehicles in October 2008 for Army’s Enhanced Land Force initiative and a contract change proposal was signed with BAESAD in December 2008.

Technical problems between 2002 and 2006 delayed completion of vehicle testing and the planned date for initial introduction into service was moved from December 2006 to November 2007, placing pressure on the overall project schedule. The vehicles began reliability testing in February 2007 and the testing was concluded on 11 May 2007.

“Despite the technical and schedule issues the project remains well within its budget and the only change in project cost since Government approval in 2002 has been for the additional 81 vehicles and for inflation or currency exchange rate variations,” said Bob Lumley, Director, M113 Upgrade Program.

43 of the production vehicles have now been accepted from Tenix/BAESAD and another 16 vehicles are on the production line. BAESAD is preparing its marine facilities in Williamstown, Victoria and its site at Wingfield, South Australia as additional locations for hull conversion to accelerate production.

“The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has considered a number of options to provide the capability that the Army requires. The upgrade of the M113 remains the most cost effective option for providing the highly mobile and protected capability,” says Mr Lumley. “The key features of the upgrade include applique armour, spall curtains, enhanced mine protection and a new armoured turret. All vehicles will have the capability to attach add on armour for increased protection.”

The upgraded vehicle is one of the best protected light armoured vehicles around the world.

The armour protection has been developed after extensive research by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). This represents a marked improvement in protection over the original M113 vehicle.

The DMO is now investigating potential survivability enhancements to be ready to adapt new protection measures if needed.

A U.S. Army armored M113 personnel carrier finds shelter in a Panama City laundramat. The use of heavy forces mounted in M113's were key to success in combat in the city, providing firepower, protection, and mobility.

Russian Su-35 Is A Modern, Effective, Multirole And Superagile Fighter

(NSI News Source Info) March 8, 2009: Russia's new state-of-the-art Su-35 Flanker multirole air supe­rio­rity/strike fighter successfully completed its first demonstration flight on Monday.
During the six-minute flight it carried out a number of stunts and maneuvers.The Sukhoi Su-35 is a 4.5 generation heavy class, long-range, multi-role, air superiority fighter and strike fighter. Due to the similar features and components it contains, the Sukhoi Su-35 is considered to be a close cousin of the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a specialized version of the Su-30. It has been further developed into the Su-35BM. The Su-35 is in service in small numbers with the Russian Air Force with 12 in service as of 2008.
The demonstration was attended by Vladimir Mikhailov, former commander of Russia's Air Force.
Deliveries of the new aircraft, billed as "4++ generation using fifth-generation technology," to foreign clients will start in 2011, the chief executive of the Sukhoi aircraft maker said earlier on Monday.
"We have a large number of orders for this aircraft. Deliveries will be made both for the Russian Air Force and foreign clients... We will start deliveries in 2011," Mikhail Pogosyan said.
The manufacturer said previously the Su-35 would enter service with the Russian Air Force in two to three years.
Russia's Air Force commander Alexander Zelin said that Russian Air Force regiments could receive the new aircraft.
"We plan to train two to three regiments to fly the Su-35 aircraft," he said.
The Su-35, powered by two AL-37F engines, combines high maneuverability and the capability to effectively engage several air targets simultaneously using both guided and unguided missiles and weapon systems.
The Su-35 prototype made its maiden flight on February 18, and two more aircraft are being prepared for similar tests at an aircraft manufacturing plant in Russia's Far East.
Sukhoi, which is part of Russia's United Aircraft Corporation, is planning to export more than 40 combat aircraft in 2008.
In 2007, Sukhoi exported about 50 Su-30MK2, Su-30MKM and Su-30MKI aircraft to countries including Algeria, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Venezuela. The company also announced that its 2007 sales had grossed over 50 billion rubles ($2 billion).

(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD - March 8, 2009: The Pakistan Air Force and a Chinese firm signed an agreement on Saturday to produce a series of JF-17 (Thunder) aircraft for PAF.
The agreement, signed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex chairman Air Marshal Khalid Chaudhry and CATIC president M.A. Zhiping, will be on the basis of ‘seller’s credit’. Under the agreement, 42 fighter jets will be produced jointly for PAF. Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmad and Chinese Ambassador H.E Luo Zhaohui witnessing signing contract for co-production of JF-17 SP (Serial Production) aircraft and avionics equipments.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed and Chinese Ambassador Luo Zhaohui attended the signing ceremony.
Talking to reporters, the air chief said ‘in the beginning we will produce 15 aircraft annually and the number will later increase to 30. The programme will be carried out in phases.’
He said the first squadron of the fighter jets would be inducted into the PAF fleet by the middle of this year, adding that PAF had been using eight jointly produced aircraft for the past couple of years. The fleet would be raised in Peshawar, he added.
About the delivery of AWACS system to Pakistan, the air chief said an agreement had already been reached with a Chinese firm for start of delivery by 2010.
‘On the delivery of first AWACS system, Pakistan will pay 10 per cent cost of the aircraft while the remaining amount would be paid on instalments,’ he added.
He said the agreement between Pakistan and China for the delivery of the J-10 aircraft was intact and these aircraft would be delivered to PAF in 2014-15. The aircraft were being modernised in accordance with PAF’s requirements and would be delivered under the title of FC-20.

Pakistan: Militants Shoot Down US Drone In South Waziristan
(NSI News Source Info) WANA - March 8, 2009: Taliban militants claimed to have shot down a US drone in the Angoor Adda area of South Waziristan on Saturday.
Militants loyal to Taliban commander Maulvi Mohammad Nazir said the unmanned aircraft had crashed in a jungle after the attack and soldiers took away the wreckage. Two drones were flying low over a village in the district when one of them was hit by militant fire.
But security officials and political authorities disputed the Taliban’s claim, saying that teams dispatched to the area after the claim found no wreckage.
Unconfirmed reports also said the drone had gone missing in an area near the Afghan border.
Locals said they had seen a small plane flying over the area at low altitude, adding that militants resorted to heavy firing when they saw it. But they were unaware whether the plane was struck or not.
Residents and a local police official said two drones were flying low over a village in South Waziristan when one of them was hit by militant fire.
‘We heard the firing by the Taliban and then a drone fell down,’ police official Israr Khan said.
A security official said the drone crashed in a forest near a post on the Afghan border. ‘Apparently a drone has crashed in the nearby forest, we are searching for its wreckage,’ he added.
An Army spokesman said reports of a drone crash were being investigated.
‘We have come to know that something has happened there, but we do not have any confirmation,’ Maj-Gen Athar Abbas said in Islamabad.
‘We are further investigating and trying to find out.’
More than two dozen suspected US drone attacks have been carried out in Pakistan since August last year, killing more than 200 people, most of them militants.